When Exploring the Middle East, Don’t Forget Beautiful Iraq!
If you’ve been here for a while, you know how much I love exploring the Middle East! Its rich history, tasty food, and hospitable people have made it my favorite region of the world! But Iraq holds a special place in my heart!
You Should Explore the Middle East, including Iraq!
Long before this blog’s existence, my family’s military background included my parents being deployed to the country! So, Iraq has been a part of my life since childhood! Between their experience and what’s portrayed in the media, I could understand why people may have a less-than-favorable perception of the country!
Well, almost two decades after my parents’ deployment, I had a unique opportunity to visit the country myself. Not to invalidate anyone’s experience with war, but a sense of adventure and curiosity drove me! And I’m so happy I went through with my visit!
The experience was incredible, filled with warm hospitality, breathtaking landscapes, and a rich culture that I’m excited to share with you if you also possess an interest in the Middle East but may be cautious due to what you may have seen, heard, or experienced!
In the spirit of transparency, I do not claim to be an expert on Iraq! What I mean is that I had no role in planning my visit!
The only thing I had to do was book my roundtrip airfare, a process that was surprisingly straightforward.
And I’m grateful for that because my great friend and travel buddy, Doug Barnard, cultivated an experience so grand that everyone was surprisingly reluctant to return home! I’m still amazed at how he pulled it all together, but he planned the group tour’s itinerary and ensured we were all in good hands.Â
This post will be my independent review of his inaugural group tour and my experience in Iraq! I know! What an incredible honor! I rarely do group tours, but this one gets a 5-star review.Â
Does Iraq have visa requirements?
Yes, and if you are a US passport holder, you qualify for a visa on arrival! Securing the visa on arrival is a straightforward process that can be done upon your arrival at Baghdad International Airport.
Simply step off the plane and approach the visa desk, which is conveniently located to the left of the immigration facilities. The visa fee, which can vary due to exchange rates, is typically around 75-80 USD. It’s a good idea to have the exact amount in cash, as the officials may not always provide change.
Iraq no longer has COVID restrictions, but I always include COVID information as a reminder to check specifically for your destination, just in case!
Flights & Hotels – Iraq
On arrival, I flew into Baghdad International and departed from Erbil Airport to return home, aligning with our tour’s itinerary. To my surprise, some big international airlines offer service to Iraqi airports.
You will likely fly Emirates via Dubai, Turkish Airlines via Istanbul, or Qatar Airways via Doha.
Qatar Airways is my personal favorite. My business class ticket allowed me to experience their Q-suite service twice on this journey. You can read about my Q-suite experience in that blog post linked here.Â
Hotels can be interesting. They’re unlike other tourist locations where you can book on a website. Due to sanctions, booking hotels in Iraq can often mean wiring money through a Canadian bank and calling to place reservations.
For this reason, I highly recommend a group trip. Let someone like Doug take care of that for you.
Let’s get to what you actually care about: the breakdown of our in-country experience and ways you can connect with Doug if you are interested in his tours!
The People
For this section, I am referring to the Iraqis and the other tour participants. Both were incredible, and the people were the most memorable part of the experience.
Iraqis are very generous and friendly. Their kindness knows no bounds.
Almost everywhere we went on the itinerary, people would stare. Not a crazy awkward stare that makes you uncomfortable but one of admiration that gives you that inviting feeling where both the person staring and the person on the receiving end of the stare can’t do anything but smile.
We took so many selfies/pictures with the locals. Their excitement to see American tourists was the primary driver behind my overwhelmingly enjoyable experience in Iraq. They’ll throw food at you with no expectation of payment.
Documenting all accounts of their kindness and generosity would be challenging because our group encountered their warm gestures nearly everywhere.
The people who signed up for Doug’s trip were excellent, too. They were an incredible group of seasoned and adventurous travelers, which made for an almost instant connection. One group member had even traveled to 90 countries—very impressive!
Talk about impressive. Check out all the smiles below. I would definitely travel with this group again. I’ll highlight a few special people later in this post when I tell you about the city of Mosul, but having the opportunity to converse with welcoming people made Iraq feel like a second home.
Also, a neat bonus for me: Hussein (one of the tour guides) and Ahmed (a friend we met in Mosul) did a program that allowed them to visit my alma mater, the University of Arkansas. How cool is that? Everyone in the pictures below has the University of Arkansas in common. It is such a small world to take alum photos in Mosul, Iraq, of all places.
The Food
Of course, the food was one of the trip highlights. I was pleasantly surprised at how tasty Iraqi food is.
I was wondering what type of cuisine to expect, but we did not have a bad meal at any stop during the trip. My favorites were Masgouf fish, Iraqi kebabs, and a delicious green pudding. I’m not sure what it’s called, but it’s a delightful dessert with a coconut flavor, and I ate way too much of it.
My favorite restaurant in Iraq is the Al Reef Cafe in Erbil. We ate here on the last night of the trip. The menu did not have a lot of traditional Iraqi dishes, but the vibe there was unique! Those who like to travel for food need to add Iraq to the bucket list.
The Sites
My initial ignorance caused me to question what I would see in Iraq. In my mind, I pictured nothing but a war-torn, desolate desert.
I sincerely apologize for jumping to this incorrect conclusion.
There is a lot to see and experience in Iraq, and although I’m missing some things, I want to call out the cities and sites that stood out to me.
Karbala
Located about 90km southwest of Baghdad, Karbala is considered one of the holiest cities for Shia Muslims. It is incredible to walk around this city at night and see its beauty!
Al-Shaheed Monument
I believe “Al Shaheed” translates to the martyr, so this monument is also known as the Martyr’s Monument. It is situated in Iraq’s capital, Baghdad, and was initially designed to commemorate Iraqis who died in the Iran-Iraq War.
Many locals will tell you it has grown into a monument dedicated to all Iraqi martyrs. It stood out to me because of its unique design, and it was the first place we visited once I landed at Baghdad International. It was here that I had my moment, realizing that I was actually in Iraq, witnessing a dream come true.
The Marshes
On Day 5 of the tour, we traveled south to the town of Al-Chibayish to embark on a boat tour of the Iraqi marshes, where we all witnessed an incredible sunrise.
What was so neat about this experience was seeing water buffaloes and spending time with the Iraqi families who live in the marshes.
This was different from a typical tourist experience, which you could book online. I have no idea how Doug and Hussein set this up, but it felt like an episode of National Geographic.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that felt very exclusive.
Saddam’s Palace
Speaking of exclusive experiences, I must tell you that Doug and Hussein somehow pulled strings to get us a sunset dinner at Saddam’s palace. We celebrated Hussein’s birthday, and his family cooked dinner for us.
What a sweet gesture from our two stellar tour guides. The sunset while getting to know each other over dinner at a palace overlooking the ancient city of Babylon was as surreal as it sounds.
Note: You may need clarification about the reference to Hussein because it is also Saddam’s last name. When I say Hussein, I mean our tour guide. So, we celebrated his birthday, not Saddam’s.
Erbil (Arbil)
All my followers know that I’m a big fan of nightlife, and it’s one of my favorite things to check out while traveling. Nightlife seems nonexistent in the Middle East, but Erbil gave me a similar feeling to Istanbul.
There were bars, music playing in the streets with people singing along, and plenty of places to sit outside. If you like nightlife, Erbil is a beautiful city with a lot to enjoy. I wish I had spent more nights here, but no worries—I will be back.
Note: Both Erbil (Kurdish) and Arbil (Arabic) are correct.
Mosul
Earlier in this post, I mentioned how amazing the local people are. This is especially true for the people of Mosul, Iraq. I was so moved to be in this town and to hear the stories of the incredible people rebuilding life here.
For those unfamiliar, Mosul is a major city in northern Iraq that ISIS occupied from roughly 2014 to 2017.
Being in this city and observing all the destruction was a heartfelt moment. Yet I must point out the tenacity of the people who live there. Everyone was so warm and welcoming. The positive energy while working to restore their city was definitely contagious. And everyone rushed up to us with so much excitement.
We took many pictures and selfies together. Here are two incredible people we met in Mosul, and I’d love to help tell their story to clear any misconceptions about the people of Iraq.
Radwan
It was a pleasure to meet the man (Radwan, pictured above) who is helping restore the city of Mosul with his company, Rihab Ninawa.
We spent hours with him, and I know I speak for our entire group when I say that after our interactions with him, the people of Mosul hold a special place in our hearts.
After speaking with him, I knew I had to use my platform to help tell his story and message. Radwan is just a family man trying to exist and pick up the pieces of his community to rebuild it. We all can learn a lot from this city’s perseverance.
There’s no reason to perpetuate negative stereotypes about Iraqis (or any nationality for that matter) because all they want to do is be your friend and share their culture with you.
Omar
I met an 18-year-old (Omar, pictured above) who volunteered to help recover bodies from the rubble of the ISIS airstrikes. I could not imagine something so devastating.
Part of why his story felt so meaningful to me was his attitude. He was incredibly amiable and even found me on Instagram after our initial meeting. He helped me realize that I could work on my attitude.
I can carry a negative disposition for a long time under less severe circumstances; while he has witnessed some of the most traumatic things a human can experience in this lifetime, he still finds a way to smile and give back to his community and country.
Omar, thank you for being a new positive addition to my life. I wish you, your family, your community, and the people of Iraq nothing but the best. You can find Omar on Instagram (his handle is @fs_.i1 ).
Mosul was the last stronghold for ISIS, and unfortunately, they witnessed severe destruction under their reign. Some of the stories are just too difficult to bear, so I can imagine what the people who experienced the devastation are feeling.
But the people of Mosul are strong and asked me not to focus on the destruction but on the path forward.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) launched an initiative called “Revive the Spirit of Mosul.” At the aforementioned link, you can learn about Mosul’s history, understand its culture’s importance for the whole of Iraq, and get involved with helping UNESCO with this initiative.Â
I’m grateful for the experience of visiting Mosul, as it gave me much to think about and several ways to be a more empathetic and compassionate human being. And that’s what we all want, hopefully.
The Heat
This one is obvious, but I had to call it out explicitly because the temperatures in Iraq are some of the hottest on the planet. What was incredibly shocking was how high the temperatures would climb during the day, even though I went in October.
Baghdad and the marshy areas of southern Iraq seemed to be the warmest. Baghdad is located close to the center of Iraq, so the humidity is a bit lower due to its position away from the gulf. But there is no cloud cover to help shield you from the overpowering sun.
Protecting yourself from the sun is the most dangerous thing about the entire country. So please pack sunscreen and stay hydrated if you plan an Iraq trip. It will likely be some of the warmest temperatures you’ll ever experience.
But the abundance of sunshine makes for breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. The nights are usually comfortable, and the areas north of Baghdad get a little relief from the heat. I found the weather most pleasant in Mosul and Erbil.
Besides the heat, there isn’t much to complain about regarding the weather. I’m not a big fan of rain, so the warm and sunny days were perfect.
Tips & Tricks
I always want to give you all the necessary information to ensure a wonderful trip to any destination. There isn’t much to complain about or that I would do differently, but that is primarily because Doug and Hussein went out of their way to ensure an incredible experience for the group.
Participating in a group tour like this will eliminate the stress of planning and executing a trip to such a unique place. Here are some tips to consider if you do plan on visiting. Again, I recommend going with Doug if you want a stress-free experience.
- Be sure to have a copy of your hotel reservation when you arrive at your port of entry into Iraq. I had to pay 50 USD because I didn’t have this. Please have between 75 and 80 USD for your visa. Depending on who processes your visa, they may or may not give you change.
- Be prepared for the heat! Stay hydrated, wear comfortable shoes, and be ready to walk!
- While it’s not essential, doing some research before arriving in Iraq will make your trip more enjoyable. I am not an expert on history, politics, or religion, but a little knowledge of these topics can help provide context to your visit. This is why I recommend having a solid tour guide. Doug and Hussein did a great job of providing historical context to everything we visited.
- Having a SIM card is helpful but optional. The hotels had decent Wi-Fi, and only a few spots while on the road completely lacked service.
- The power goes out at random very frequently. Don’t be alarmed, however. It usually comes back on immediately after.
Of course, you can always contact me when you get to the question phase of your trip planning to Iraq. I will do my best to help, but Doug would be your best point of contact.
Final Thoughts on Iraq
I had a moment while in the speedboat cruising through the marshes. I could not stop thinking about how Doug had informed us before getting on the boats that what we were about to experience was not a typical tourist event.
The homes we passed in the marshes were real and belonged to real families. I remember lying on the boat, thinking how grateful I was to experience something unique. That fuels the passion of people who enjoy traveling, exploring extraordinary places, spending time with those who call these places home, and immersing themselves in their culture.
How could a guy curate such a memorable experience for some of the most incredible travelers I’ve met in nearly three decades of life? Iraq provided a solid opportunity for me to do just that. I hope this blog post gives Iraq the justice it deserves because it is the most incredible thing I’ve done to date. It will be tough to top.
I even had the opportunity to meet people who spent time at my university. I said it earlier in this post, but want to repeat it. The most dangerous thing about Iraq is protecting yourself from the sun. That’s it.
While in Iraq, I asked many people I conversed with how I could use my platform to help change the narrative about the country and its people. One of the most meaningful responses I received was in Mosul.
One of the locals said let your friends and family know that I like to drink beer and watch sports just like you.
I’m a human, and I would give the warm welcome and respect I present to you as a tourist to anyone visiting my wonderful country. And there isn’t much to say after such a beautiful message.
I probably won’t convince some of you to visit Iraq, as the media has significantly depicted the country as an inhospitable war zone. But I must try.
Part of the responsibility I promised you when I started this blog is to inspire you to travel. And the stories of the people of Iraq should be enough to make anyone get on the next flight! I probably omitted some things and didn’t capture everything during the tour, but I hope I painted a beautiful picture of Iraq for you all.
Even if you don’t feel compelled to visit, I hope I can at least help eliminate some of the negative perceptions. Simply put, Iraq felt like a second home, and I will always cherish my first visit there. My parents came to Iraq as soldiers, and I got to experience it as a tourist. Wow! Just let that sink in.
Traveling—it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller!
Ibn Battuta
Moments like the Iraq trip remind me why I have this quote all over my website. I am honored that I get to be a storyteller!
Thank you, Doug and Hussein, for a fantastic journey. Thank you to all the tour participants for making me feel like family. Thank you to all the friendly Iraqis for your hospitality. Thank you to all my friends and supporters reading this blog post.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post as much as I enjoyed traveling to Iraq and creating this read for you. Let me know if anything in this post resonated with you. I always love hearing from you all!
And as promised, if traveling to Iraq is your kind of thing, all ways to connect with Doug (pictured below) are linked to his website here! He’d be glad to have you!Â
